Riding the Raisina Tiger

Riding the Raisina Tiger - a Politico-military thriller about an Army Chief who decided to take things into his own hands. AVAILABLE FOR FREE DOWNLOAD ON 26 JAN ON OCCASION OF REPUBLIC DAY FROM https://www.amazon.com/Riding-Raisina-Tiger-Story-military-ebook/dp/B01ALCCNSS

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Friday, 28 January 2011

Tribune News Service New Delhi, January 27 Besides showcasing India’s varied cultural heritage, the Republic Day Parade yesterday put on display the country’s military might and air power. Military and police contingents led by the General Officer Commanding (Delhi Area), Maj Gen Manvendra Singh, marched proudly through the Rajpath where President Pratibha Patil took the salute. The display of culture and military might was watched by the chief guest, Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, Vice-President Hamid Ansari, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Defence Minister AK Antony and the country’s top political and military leadership among others. For the first time, Russian-built attack choppers Mi 25 of the IAF joined in the flypast. Three of the attack choppers flew in formation to a thunderous applause from the audience. The IAF’s frontline fighters Sukhoi-30 MKI performed a ‘vertical climb’ manoeuvre in front of the saluting base with children clapping with glee at the gravity-defying feat. Fighter jets like the MiG 29 and the Jaguar were part of the flypast along with the transport squadron’s IL 76 and An 32 aircraft. Light Combat Aircraft Tejas, which has been recently given an operational clearance, was on static display. The Defence Research and Development Organisation showcased underwater weapons such as torpedoes and long-range array radars. The Army displayed the T-90 tank, Brahmos cruise missile and multi-barrel rocket launcher Pinaka. Notably, nuclear missiles were not on display this time. The Navy sent in its scaled-down models of the sea-borne aircraft carrier INS Viraat and the Mig-29K, the fourth generation fighter jet inducted last year. There was a big round of applause for Param Vir Chakra recipients Subedar Major (Honorary Captain) Bana Singh (Retd); Lance Naik Sanjay Kumar, 13 JAK RIF; and Naib Subedar Yogendra Singh Yadav, 18 Grenadiers. The oldest participant in this year's parade, M M Shukla, was also warmly cheered by one and all. Shukla, Flying Officer of the Royal Air Force based in Rawalpindi's Chaklala during World War II, was leading a contingent of former soldiers. The country’s cultural diversity was highlighted by the 23 tableaux — 13 from states and 10 from ministries. The first tableau to be rolled out was the one on Rabindranath Tagore by the ministry of culture and the Sangeet Natak Akademi to commemorate the Nobel laureate’s 150th birth anniversary.

by M.S.Menon Reports in the state-run People’s Daily of China have confirmed that our neighbour has started damming the Yarlung-Tsangpo (Brahmaputra river) at Zangmu for a 510 MW hydro-electric project sited in the Gyaca county of Lhoka prefecture (Tibet). The project comprises a dam which is 116 m. high, 390 m.long across the river with a power plant having six generating units and will cost US$1.18 billion. On India’s concerns, China has given the assurance that the project is not designed to divert the Brahmaputra waters and hence will not have any impact on the river flows in the downstream reaches. The major problems haunting China today are water and power shortages. China knows that if these two issues are not addressed adequately, the consequences would be grave and its ambition to become a super power would be in the doldrums. Hence, it has focussed its attention to exploit the huge potential available in the water-rich Tibet region to overcome the looming crisis. The Zangmu project is to be followed by five other new dams at Jiexu, Jiacha, Lengda, Zhongda and Langzhen to meet the energy needs. The uneven spatial distribution of water and land resources is the main reason for China to be concerned about water shortage, particularly in the northern and north-western provinces, for many decades. The humid South with 700 million people has one-third of the nation’s crop land and four-fifth of its water, while the arid north with 550 million people has two-third of the crop land and one-fifth of the water. During the seventies a Chinese General, Guo Kai, is reported to have even proposed to hammer the Himalayas with 200 nuclear warheads to blast a 2-km wide air tunnel to divert the Indian monsoon to meet the water needs. Subsequently, he had also speculated to use Tibet’s waters, particularly of the Brahmaputra, by diverting its waters at the ‘great bend’ of the river. The great western diversion proposed by Guo Kai involves the construction of a mega structure there and a tunnel through the Himalayas to divert the water and generate power, which could be used to pump water. The burgeoning population, increased industrial development, higher demand from agriculture and pollution in the rivers have further contributed to the water woes now, forcing the Chinese to plan for diverting water from the South to the North under the South-North Diversion Project through three links: the central, eastern and western routes. China has already started the construction of the central and eastern links. The western link is the modified version of Guo Kai’s dream project and is reported to be under study. According to experts of the China Society for Hydropower Engineering, only research has been carried out about the huge potential available at the ‘great bend’ and no plan has been prepared so far. However, Chinese official news agency, Xinhua, had in 2003 confirmed the plans for the Tsangpo Water Diversion Project with two components, viz, a power plant with an installed capacity of more than 40,000 MW in the Metok area to utilise the potential of the river falling through 3,000 m and diversion of water by pumping to the provinces of Xingjiang and Gansu. China has been discreet about the project, but according to recent reports, the construction of a117-km Metok highway with a tunnel to the Metok site linking the Indian border to National Highway 318 from Shanghai is in full swing to negotiate the difficult terrain of the Yarlung-Tsangpo gorge, presumably to facilitate the movement of materials and machinery for the project. Also, in the map of the Grid Corporation of China for 2020 the great bend area is shown as connected to the rest of the Chinese power supply, thereby indicating Chinese plans for the project in the area. Environmental activists, both in China and abroad, have warned against building such a huge project in a seismically active and ecologically fragile area, but the authorities are emphatic that Tibet’s resources have to be used for economic advantage. Similarly, many experts have raised doubts about the engineering possibility of constructing such a project, considering the topographical and geological conditions of the rugged, high-altitude area. But China has proved its capability to overcome such difficulties with the construction of the rail track to Tibet and the gigantic Water Diversion Project to transfer 1.8 billion water annually to the Dehuofang reservoir across the Hun river through a 85.3-km tunnel in the equally formidable mountain ranges of North-East China. China has every right to build dams in its part of the Brahmaputra and is not answerable to India since it is not bound by any treaty on water sharing with India. The joint declaration made in 2006 between the two enables only sharing hydrological data, which is not adequate to address our concerns. True, we have been assured that these dams are meant only for power generation, but the disturbing fact is that China maintains a strategic silence on its river diversion plans. For example, in the past they were denying any plan for the Zangmu project in spite of satellite images showing activities in the project area. Only now they have confirmed it. India has to be concerned about the Chinese projects because the reservoir operations could cause wide water-level fluctuations in the river downstream to upset the operations of the hydel schemes in Arunachal Pradesh. The experience of the co-basin states in the Mekong basin will be an eye-opener in this regard. The operations of the Chinese projects on the Mekong affected their agriculture, fisheries and tourism projects downstream and, when these governments protested, China denied the allegations. Also, if the Chinese divert lean-season flows outside the basin for their projects, the schemes in Arunachal Pradesh would have to be shut down for want of minimum river flows, and if they release heavy discharges into a flooded Brahmaputra downstream, vast areas would be submerged in Arunachal Pradesh as was experienced in the year 2000. Unfortunately, at present there is no international law for trans-boundary rivers to control such unilateral actions. India has also to remain prepared to face situations during possible conflicts since China always plans its infrastructure projects for dual use to meet the requirements of peace time and war as has been enunciated by Chairman Mao. The moot question, therefore, is: Are we to remain satisfied with China’s assurances, or are we to take action to face such eventualities? Experience has taught us to remain prepared to deal with such situations. Hence, instead of remaining complacent with the Chinese assurances, let us get ready with plans to address these issues. Indian experts had earlier identified and proposed a project with a large storage potential on the Siang (Brahmaputra) in Arunachal Pradesh which had adequate capacity to absorb the flood flows and also to even out water-level fluctuations caused by upstream projects. But the Indian government does not seem to be keen on this project, citing environmental objections. Considering the strategic importance of the project, let us be ready with the project by implementing it expeditiously instead of waiting for the catastrophe to occur. Happenings in the Mekong basin and even our experience with floods in the past have already warned us. India cannot afford to ignore the likely threats from the liquid bombs ticking away in Tibet, having enough potential to become weapons of mass destruction.

Past experience has shown that terrorists took full advantage of periods of lull during troop reduction or ceasefire to infiltrate and reorganise. Security forces have gained an upper hand after 20 years at great human and material cost. Reduction in force levels will lead to the forces losing their grip on the situation Lt Gen O.P. Kaushik (Retd) Security forces tackle a protesting mob in Srinagar. The Valley has witnessed several violent clashes involving separatists in recent months Security forces tackle a protesting mob in Srinagar. The Valley has witnessed several violent clashes involving separatists in recent months The Union Home Secretary recently spoke of reducing the strength of the security forces in Jammu and Kashmir by 25 per cent. The Chief of Army Staff, when asked to comment on this proposed reduction, said there was neither a need to carry out any troop reduction nor was it desirable to do so in view of the prevailing security situation in the state. Reduction in security forces' strength in J&K has serious implications. The requirement of troops to carry out assigned security tasks and responsibilities is the sole concern of force commanders and not of politicians and bureaucrats. Security forces commanders have to consider many factors and carry out a detailed study of the situation before taking a decision about the strength of troops needed to carry out the tasks. Decisions taken in a hurry and without detailed analysis cause negative influences. Keeping in view the prevailing situation in the state, it is difficult to carry out any reduction in the strength of security forces deployed there. Infiltration from across the border by terrorists is still occurring in Kashmir. Pakistan continues to train terrorists and send them into Kashmir where they continue to engage in subversive activities. It is almost impossible to travel in Kashmir without protection. Tax collection from innocent village residents, killing of innocent people, rape, planting bombs, random grenade attacks on security forces' posts, illegal trade in weapons and ammunition and forcible recruitment of Kashmiri youth into terrorist organisations are some of the activities which terrorist organisations continue to indulge in. No political leader, including the prime minister and the state's chief minister, dare address a public meeting without proper protection involving hundreds of troops. Our past experience has taught us valuable lessons that as and when such reductions in troop strength were carried out, terrorists operating in J&K took full advantage. It has also been our experience that whenever terrorists came under pressure and security forces gained an upper hand, efforts were made by the former through politicians, some of whom are reportedly their collaborators, to ask for reduction in troop strength, removal of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act and also for a temporary cease fire. It has taken more than 20 years at a cost of nearly one lakh crore rupees and the lives of about 8,000 soldiers for the security forces to have established a reasonable security network in the Valley. It is because of this that against one infiltrator from across Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir, the security forces are eliminating about two terrorists everyday. In other words, security forces are finishing more terrorists than the number infiltrating. Consequently, terrorists who had managed to mingle with the local population are being caught and eliminated. If this pressure on the terrorist is sustained, the day is not far when terrorist organisations will start requesting for peaceful negotiations. Reduction in the strength of troops will cause a negative impact on the security network resulting in loosening the grip on situation by the security forces and thereby giving an advantage to the terrorists. On three earlier occasions the government declared a ceasefire in J&K and effected some troop reduction. Thousands of terrorists took advantage and infiltrated into the Valley. The same had happened in Nagaland in 1997 when insurgents took advantage of a ceasefire to build up their demoralised organisations. In Assam, ULFA and BODO militant organisations too exploited the lull brought about by ceasefires. Similarly, we had the situation in Manipur under full control in 1998. The government then ordered a ceasefire and withdrawal of troops. As a result 30 terrorist and insurgent organisations are active in Manipur today. Reduction in security forces' strength from J&K at this juncture will not be in national interest. We should not jeopardise 20 years effort to suit the temporary interest of local political parties. The stage has now been set in the Valley to expose the terrorists collaborations, their background supporters and to apprehend those who are now lying low as sleeper agents. It is difficult to imagine on what basis the Union Home Secretary made his statement on troop reduction in J&K. Earlier efforts of similar nature yielded no results. Instead it helped anti-national organisations such as the Huriyat to build their strength. If the endeavour is to help the local government and the political party in power, we have to see if the local police and the administration can handle the situation if security forces are restricted to their barracks. After incurring considerable expenditure and bearing tremendous difficulties, the security forces were moved to J&K. It took them nearly two decades to get an upper hand on the situation in the state as well as along the Line of Control. If they are pulled out now, it would be premature and will nullify all their past efforts. Stability and area dominance will get compromised; knowledge gained on terrorists organisations, their bases and their modus operandi will get wasted; and if the situation deteriorates once again, the forces will have to be brought back at tremendous cost. Why is there this desire to reduce the strength of security forces when circumstances do not mandate it? Neither the security forces nor the nation want it. Security forces have been deployed there for a mission and unless that mission is achieved it will be a great folly to withdraw them in any measure. The state government and the police are unable to detect and apprehend hidden terrorists. There is neither the desire nor the effort on their part to get arrested terrorists, whose number runs in thousands, tried by the courts for crimes and murders committed by them. The actions of the state machinery gives the impression that they are with the terrorists rather than as part of the Indian state. Thousands of crore rupees have been given by the Centre for developmental works in J&K. In fact all national resources are theirs for asking. But no development work is possible unless internal peace is been established. For development to begin, a secure environment is essential. To maintain that security, adequate force levels are needed. The writer has commanded a division at Kupwara, in the Kashmir Valley

The Ministry of Home Affairs has drafted amendments to the Armed Forces Special Power Act The Army and the Ministry of Defence have been opposing any such amendments. It is unfortunate that even the government has made no effort to educate the public about the true nature and necessity of retaining the AFSPA. Instead the Act has become a political football. AFSPA was invoked in Kashmir in July 1990 consequent to the total failure of the state administration and the police in controlling insurgency in the Valley. It was applied in Manipur in September 1980 when the situation had deteriorated to such an extent that it had become impossible to run the administration, maintain law and order and provide peace and tranquility to the public. To understand AFSPA, one needs to have an insight into the background. Law and order is the responsibility of the state government which it maintains through the state police and, if required, with the of the central police organisations. If they fail, the army is brought in. Even when the army is deoployed, the responsibility for coordination between security agencies remains with the civil administration. To assist the army, magistrates and police personnel are attached to it and the onus for any action taken for combating the situation remains that of the administration. In areas afflicted with insurgency and terrorism, as is evident in J&K, Manipur and Assam, conditions of maintaining law and order are grave. Terrorists are organised, equipped with sophisticated weapons and well trained. They operate from bases located in extremely difficult terrain like mountains, jungles and snow, where no police or magistrates are present. They also operate from urban areas where, by their militant action, ensure collapse of the civil administration. The police is neither equipped or trained to fight such situations. The army has no legal authority to operate on its own without the presence of a magistrate and police. The AFSPA was conceived to assist the army to operate in such an environment. AFSPA is made applicable by specific orders of the central government in extremely grave situations where the police has not been effective, where the civil administration has been paralysed and where there is serious danger to national security. There is yet another rider. The state government must notify the affected region as "disturbed". Without this, AFSPA cannot be made applicable. The state government, after notifying, refers the case to the central government, which, based on intelligence inputs available to them, assesses the situation in consultation with civilian and military authorities and takes a conscious decision whether to enforce the AFSPA. AFSPA confers four special powers upon the army. First, the army can use force, including opening fire, for maintaining public order in areas where assembly of five or more persons is prohibited. Second, it can arrest without warrant any person who committs or is about to commit a cognisable offence and hand him over to the police. Third, it can enter and search premises without a warrant. Fourth, it can destroy arms dumps or fortified positions from where armed attacks are made. The law also provides protection to armed forces personnel acting under the spirit of the AFSPA, in that no prosecution or legal proceedings can be instituted against them for anything done in exercise of AFSPA powers without prior sanction of the central government. Proposed amendments to the Act suggest that arrest warrants are secured in advance and grievance cells set up to address citizens' complaints against the armed forces. The Union Home Ministry has also proposed to abolish the powers that allow armed forces to open fire. Imagine what will happen if AFSPA is not imposed and the security forces receive a tip-off about the presence of terrorists in a village or insurgents committing crimes against law-abiding citizens. Although an army unit may be located close by and in a possibly favorable position to apprehend the terrorists, they would have to, by law, wait for the magistrate to arrive to issue a warrant. It would involve loss of time and the tactical advantages of conducting an immediate raid will be jeopordised. The army has a difficult and sensitive task to resolve situations created by bad governance on the part of politicians, bureaucrats and the police. The army must have strong legal protection for the dirty work it has to perform, lest a stage comes when soldiers start questioning the legality of orders to avoid subsequent harassment at the courts. There are about 450 current court cases against the army in the Northeast. An equal number, if not more, are also being contested in the courts of the J&K. If a soldier has a duty to safe guard his nation and he is ready to sacrifice his life for it, the nation owes him a responsibility to protect him for performing his duties in extremely difficult circumstances.

Shalini Narayan Posted online: Thu Jan 27 2011, 23:21 hrs New Delhi : Officiuals from armed forces of several foreign nations had a gala time witnessing the best of India’s military and cultural milieu being showcased on Republic Day. Many guest faculty members from the National Defence College (NDC) cheered the various contingents during their first experience of the Indian Republic Day. Colonel Makoto Aoki from the Japanese army, who landed in the country last month, said he had heard much about India’s Republic Day parade, and the performance stood up to its reputation. “I found the function unique because not only did it highlight the might of the Indian armed forces, it also presented the cultures and traditions of different states beautifully through the tableaux,” said Colonel Aoki. This, according to him, made the parade distinct from similar military displays in his own country. “The cultural side of the programme was entirely unexpected. We have military programmes in Japan too, but we do not hold such colourful cultural performances on the same platform,” he said. Colonel Aoki’s daughter and infant son particularly enjoyed the Rajasthan contingent’s “royal march” on camels. “Even the band members were on camels. It was amazing,” said his wife. According to the couple, the children even cheered the cleaning staff who ran after the camels and horses, before the next contingents came along. “They shouted themselves hoarse. They also loved the Assam contingent. My daughter constantly cheered their leaders, who threw their swords in the air and caught them smartly,” she said. Colonel Abdul Hafiz from the Afghanistan army said he had been looking forward to the double dose of Tagore in the tableaux performances. “I have read a lot about Tagore, and I enjoy his works. I had read in newspapers that tributes would be paid to him as this is his 150th birth centenary, so I was excited,” said Colonel Hafiz. His only complaint was that his view was obstructed because of the rows of public in front. “I wish I could seats in front, then I could have got a better view. It was a stellar performance,” he said. Marveling at the “excellent synchronisation” of the marching contingents, Colonel Hafiz said his favourite — by far — was the retired forces’ contingent. “They were led by an 87-year-old officer who had fought in the Second World War. It was an honor to see the enthusiasm of such a senior and experienced officer. We do not have the concept of a salute by retired forces in our country,” he explained. The Afghani officer was all praise for the Dare Devils who performed “unbelievable stunts” on their motorcycles. “I have never seen the armed forces perform something like this. I loved the show,” he added. The officers are part of a delegation of officers, who had come for a year-long programme at the academy last month. Colonel Ashraf and his family, from Bangladesh, said he loved the Bengali touch to the parade. “Both the Ministry of Culture and Railways paid homage to Tagore. So, we didn’t really miss a Bengal tableaux,” he said smilingly. Stating that his young daughter was particularly fascinated by the air show, he said, “She was confused. She didn’t know what to focus on — the performance on the ground, or the one in the air,” he added. Summing it up, the couple said that the show was unlike anything they had ever seen in their lives.

TNN, Jan 27, 2011, 05.22am IST Sixty-one years of India's cultural and military might were celebrated amid much enthusiasm on Wednesday with thousands of people gathering at the India Gate lawns to become a part of the Republic day parade. The myriad hues of the country's diversity shown in tableaux, vibrant performances by students and armed forces in full battle regalia enveloped the city with a feeling of grandeur and pride. The 62nd Republic Day had Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono as chief guest, who is the second Indonesian chief guest to grace the occasion after Sukarno in 1950 when India celebrated its first Republic Day. Marching down from the Raisina Hills to Red Fort, the parade showcased India's military might as enthusiastic spectators along the route cheered the marching contingents and the mechanised columns. The synchronised military and police contingents marched proudly to the lilting tunes of bands through Rajpath where President and Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces Pratibha Patil took the salute. The march-past was also watched by the Vice-President Hamid Ansari, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Defence Minister A K Antony and the country's political and military brass. The President also awarded the winners of the Param Vir Chakra and Ashok Chakra and mounted columns of 61 Cavalry . An Army doctor, Major Laishram Jyotin Singh, was awarded posthumously the highest peacetime gallantry award — the Ashok Chakra — for his bravery while fighting militants during an attack on Indians in Kabul. He was the first Army doctor to receive the Ashok Chakra. Minutes before the parade began, Singh, Antony and the chiefs of Army, Navy and Air Force laid wreaths at 'Amar Jawan Jyoti' (the flame of the immortal soldier) at India Gate. As the President unfurled the tricolour and took a customary 21-gun salute, four Mi-17 helicopters zoomed in from the skies and showered flower petals on spectators. As the army showcased its impressive weaponry, the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) brought the Active Phased Array Radar, which is a shipborne multi-function radar, and Naval Underwater Weapon System at the parade for the first time along with the trainer version of Light Combat Aircraft Tejas. Various army contingents including Punjab Regiment, Rajputana Rifles, Rajput Regiment, Sikh Light Infantry, Jammu and Kashmir Light Infantry and Gorkha Rifles marched to the tunes of 'Gangotri' , 'God of War' , Pragati and 'Vir Bharat' . In this year's parade, the number of tableaux rose to 23 from last year's 21 to provide a kaleidoscopic view of the vibrant cultural heritage. The showcasing of tableaux was followed by the gypsy ride of 21 children who won the national bravery amid a huge applause by the spectators. Around 686 schoolchildren also performed various dance forms and drew a good response from the viewers . Once again, dare-devil performance from the Army motorcycle team 'Dare Devils' became the show-stealer when they performed back riding, border man salute, lotus formation, human pyramid and ladder balancing much to the amazement of the audiences. The spectacular parade ended with a flypast involving an elaborate display of skills by pilots who manoeuvred their jets to form a 'Chakra' and the Arrowhead. Three SU-30 MKIs later executed the Trishul manoeuvre.

Posted on 27. Jan, 2011 by Raja Mujtaba in US [Translate] This is a gamble; will it pay off or backfire? By Brig Asif Haroon Raja The US dream of converting India into an effective bulwark against China had been perceived sometime in the late 1990s when India had got it self fully aligned with USA after the demise of its earlier patron USSR. No other country in Asia was prepared to undertake this role since none have the military capability to do so. Moreover, China’s foreign policy is peaceful and its military strategy is defensive in nature. At no stage China has tried to grab any country through use of force or tried to topple a regime through intrigue. It has always endeavored to extend its influence in the third world through policy of goodwill and providing military and economic assistance on soft terms. This policy has helped China in enhancing its respect and increasing its sphere of influence far and wide including South American states. Conversely, USA having imperialist designs has been pursuing aggressive policies to undermine third world countries through covert war, economic and military sanctions and launching physical attacks. In the vital Middle East wherefrom bulk of its own, its western allies and Japan’s oil needs are met, it has turned Israel into a bully to keep the Arab world terrorized and submissive. It has made military bases all over the world to keep a firm check on all regions. After the fall of its chief rival Soviet Union in 1991, China has emerged as a power which has the potential to challenge its world monopoly. Already China has overtaken USA in the economic field and is moving rapidly to bridge the military and technological gap. Its rapid rise and USA’s decline particularly owing to ongoing global recession and war on terror has made the situation precarious for USA. Notwithstanding that China is extending all out support to USA to prevent its economic collapse, yet both are competitors and rivals and not partners. The US has borrowed huge loans from China, yet it wants to cut surging economic power of China to size so that it could retain its unchallenged uni-polarism. It is under such strategic compulsions that USA threw bait to India to become a bulwark against China in return for huge material benefits. The latter readily took the bait because of its own burning ambitions of becoming a regional and a world power. It is happily playing the game since the very thought of being tipped as a bulwark against a potential super power gives myth loving and megalomaniac Brahmans an inner pleasure and boosts their mythical beliefs. Unresolved border disputes with China and its thorough spanking at the hands of Chinese soldiers in the 1962 border conflict are other reasons to accept US offer. It is suchlike inner urges that former Indian Army Chief Gen Kapoor as well as current Chief Gen VK Singh have been giving vent to their fanciful wishes by stating that Indian military has acquired the capability to trounce both China and Pakistan in one go. Besides satisfying its egoism of being seen as a matching military power of China, development of its conventional military strength and nuclear power helps India in its drive to browbeat Pakistan and to forcibly make it accept its hegemony. With the active help of USA and the west, India is determined to disable Pakistan’s nuclear deterrence either by getting its modest nuclear program rolled back or to build up its weapon grade nuclear capability massively. Discriminatory Indo-US nuclear deal and allowing India access to Nuclear Suppliers Group is a step in that direction. All this humbug of bulwark against China is in reality a farce since India has neither any desire to confront China nor it has the physical and mental capability or even will to harm China. In reality, India wants to become economically and militarily so strong and awesome that it is in position to overawe Pakistan and force it to forget about Kashmir issue and accept India’s hegemony as a fait accompli. The US is behind this game plan. On one hand it is beefing up military and economic strength of India hugely, on the other hand it is systematically weakening Pakistan’s economy and its military strength. Pakistan Army, ISI and nuclear program has been consistently subjected to vicious vilification campaign which is still continuing. While the US never tires of pointing fingers at Pakistan and finding never ending faults, it sees India as flawless and sinless. Since 1990 there has not been a single occasion when even a lowly American official ever spoke a word against India what to talk of hurling accusations. Indian security forces brutal practices in IOK and against minorities in India since ages do not bring even a frown on the foreheads of champions of human rights and democracy. India’s record of cross border terrorism is an open secret but it has never been admonished. As against their haughty and bossy attitude towards Pakistan’s leaders, the US officials bend over backwards to keep India pleased and appeased. They remain eager to attend to Indian demands and their concocted security concerns but care two hoots for genuine security concerns of Pakistan which is supposed to be a non-Nato ally. None of India’s neighbors in South Asia are at ease with India and are wary of its intrusiveness and its desire to turn them into its satellites. India’s RAW has been blatantly supporting anti-state elements in neighboring countries. Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Nepal are its biggest victims. Behind the glitter of so-called shining India projected through state controlled media, it is a moth eaten country and its fragmentation is a forgone conclusion. The 28 states artificially bonded into Indian Union will fall like nine-pins since all the minorities living in India and low caste Dalits are fed up of the coercive four-fold caste system imposed by 2.8 Brahmans, who are genetically perfidious, cunning, cruel and deceitful. With such a dismal state of affairs, it is ludicrous to call India a bulwark against China. Idea of bulwark helps India in hiding its embarrassment as to why over 700,000 Indian forces in Indian occupied Kashmir (IOK) have utterly failed to crush the freedom movement waged by few thousand ill-equipped Kashmiris against whom the whole world has shut their eyes and ears. The mismatch is going on for the last two decades and now unarmed teenagers have come in the forefront. Indian Army has failed to quell any of the 30 armed insurgencies raging within India of which Maoist movement is the most dangerous since it has grown into an existential threat to Indian integrity. It is been unsuccessful in overawing Pakistan which is five times smaller in size, population and resources. Indian Army suffered humiliation in Sri Lanka in 1987-88, when it tried to defeat its own creation Tamil Tigers known as LTTE. Ultimately, Sri Lankan Army crushed LTTE decisively. It is because of deep seated prejudice of the US and western countries against Muslims that they have adopted a discriminatory posture towards Pakistan. They see India as their natural partner and consider it morally right to bestow it with all the favors without taking into consideration what grave affects it will have on thesecurity of Pakistan in particular. While the US and the west see Pakistan as black and India as white, the world has begun to see the ugly face of India. It is now common knowledge that India is the sole terrorist state in South Asia and has disturbed the peace and stability of this region. Bogey of bulwark has been raised by USA purposely since it gives it a legal cover to assist India lavishly. It helps India to justify its heavy increase in defence budget each year and its mad rush to buy most expensive and advanced armaments and technology. Pakistan is silenced by assuring it that India’s military buildup is directed against China. While India is ever ready to pounce at a weak opponent, it will never pick up courage to clash with a more powerful or even an equivalent military power. It doesn’t even fight a weaker opponent fairly and instead indulges in covert war and psychological war to further weaken it from within before entering the battlefield. With such a cautious mindset and lack of will, it is simply out of question that India will ever confront China militarily. India may agree to back up USA if the latter decides to attack China, but will jump in only when it is absolutely sure that the US is winning and not otherwise. The possibility of USA attacking China is also ruled out given the US current vulnerabilities and its track record of striking smaller and weak countries only. Under the circumstances, the dream of making India a bulwark against China will remain confined to sand model exercises only.